(Translated by Google) Mega place. 😄 The island is also known colloquially as Prison Island due to the ruins of a former prison (intended for the inhabitants of Zanzibar). You can get here from nearby Zanzibar by a boat rented from local fishermen. The water and the beach around the island are amazing. 😳👍🏻 There is a giant turtle sanctuary in the middle of the island There is also a bar and restaurant in the prison ruins and by the beach hotel. The other part of the island is private and belongs to a German couple. With a bit of luck you will also be able to visit this part of the island ... I was lucky and I met the owners personally. 😉 I HIGHLY RECOMMEND !!! ♥ (Original) Mega miejsce. 😄 Wyspa nazywana też potocznie Prison Island z uwagi na ruiny dawnego więzienia (przeznaczonego dla mieszkańców Zanzibaru). Dopłynąć tu można z pobliskiego Zanzibaru łodzią wynajęty od lokalnych rybaków. Woda i plaża wokół wyspy nieziemska. 😳👍🏻 Na połowie wyspy znajduje się rezerwat żółwi gigantów❗❗❗ Jest też bar i restauracja w ruinach więzienia oraz przy hotelu przy plaży. Druga część wyspy jest prywatna i należy do niemieckiego małżeństwa. Przy odrobinie szczęścia uda się wam też zwiedzić tą część wyspy... ja szczęście miałem i poznałem osobiście właścicieli. 😉 GORĄCO POLECAM!!! ♥

I spent one night in Zanzibar and I debated whether or not I wanted to visit the turtle sanctuary. I'm glad I went. I think the boat ride cost me $10 and I paid $5 extra for some snorkeling time on a reef nearby (inclusive of snorkel and fins). The boat first dropped the other passengers on the island then took my group to the reef. Be warned, the current is rather strong. When I went the water was reasonably clear but there was an unusually strong fishy smell to it. The turtle sanctuary was impressive as fat as the tortoises are concerned. There is an additional entrance fee that you pay in cash. There are HUGE tortoise everywhere even walking down the paths with you. They seem to be very accustomed to the presence of humans. I had to go off the beaten track a bit to find the oldest one. Be careful where you walk because not everything on the ground is soil. The island itself has some paths to walk down which adds to the visit.

I suggest going to the port and asking one of the boat captains directly for a price. If you book a trip you are just paying a middle man. The boat takes you to prison Island then you need to pay 2 separate entry fees. I think it's 30000 pp total. The island is fantastic. Seeing the tortoises and the prison building is beautiful. We were told snorkeling was included but there isn't really a snorkeling area just loads of boats waiting for passengers. We were given about 2 hours ( maybe less) and it was enough

Most terrible commercial place possible. Not mentioning boat cost etc, entrance there is 15$ which is a ripoff. 10 min theory, some views of semi prison building. Turtles are in small smelly place surrounded by photo desired tourists …. There are many other places to see them not here. Avoid

It's a pretty island that has a restaurant and restrooms for visitors. It's recommended that you come visit with a tour guide to explain to you the history of the island. We went with Yacoub (+255628390278) who brought us the boat and walked us through the island. The problem with the island is that it isn't friendly for disabled persons. There's no scaffold to make the transfer from the board easy, then there's no slide path to go upstairs to where the prison is. Only stairs. It's good that there's a bucket of water to wash off your shoes. The prison restaurant offers delicious food and juices; however, the prices are in US dollars. We enjoyed the beautiful blue shades of the sea, the animals (peacocks and small gazelles), and feeding the tortoises (although they seem to be in a very poor situation!) There's a large cage to the right that houses the baby tortoises. There's a sign that says that feeding is until 4 pm, but we were allowed to feed them after that time (it was after 5 pm when we got it). Note that the employees will demand you to pay a fee (they call it a tip to help the tortoises) of whatever amount.

I am surprised about all this good reviews. Except of the turtle sanctuary there is rarely anything to do. You cant walk far as it is private property. Everything is super expensive. Yes water is nice but rather go on another island.

I think a prison and torture for those old tortoises. But very nice for tourists. I saw very little food and water for the animals and small tortoises in cages.

The turtles were awesome, really worth visiting when in Zanzibar. The rest of the island is also pretty with interesting history.

Island around 30 min away from the stone town by boat, place with big tortoise and peacocks. Best location for photography. Water is so clean and blue that you really fall in love with the place ❣️🤩

Changuu or Prison island is well worth the day trip. Be patient and enjoy the ride as the boats are super slow. Tons of giant tortoises and an interesting history to the island. The snorkeling was also surprisingly stunning with 20+m visibility.

A beautiful sea is surrounding this small island, the giant centuries old turtles that live here are spectacular,, they love to be cuddled. Very interesting old prison/Quarantine house. Arrive early in the morning, better before 10 am to avoid the crowds.

Fun and laid back day trip that you can add on with other activities for the day. On this particular day we did a covid test, Stone town, this island and the Fukuchani caves. Tour of the old prison was good but as an animal lover seeing and feeding the tortoises was the highlight.

Wow, loved it here! Beautiful beach, lovely photo opportunities, you can feed the giant Tortoises, these guys are Massive (up to 250kg!) Feeding times are 10:00 and 16:00. There are also peacocks wandering around. The "prison" (giving the name prison island) was never actually used as a prison, but as a quarantine. The island is a short boat trip away costing roughly $30USD. Entrance to the island is around $8USD Great attraction. A must if you're in Zanzibar.

Not a great place to visit. There's a run down tortoise sanctuary and an abandoned hotel. Not much to see our do. Local boats take to to and from the island, you will need to wade knee deep to get in the boats so choose appropriate footwear.

"You have to take a boat from front of Mercury’s Bar. We had a good boat ride to the island. There you can watch the endangered Aldabra giant tortoises, which originally came as a gift from the British governor of the Seychelles. These peace loving marine blessings teach us sweetness of peaceful life.

Extraordinary experience, place where you can freely interact with giant tortoises (feed them and pet them). Also another name is Prison Island, named by the prison which never really worked.

(Translated by Google) An interesting island. It's fun to walk among giant turtles, see buildings built in the 16th century. (Original) Интересный островок. Прикольно погулять среди гигантских черепах, посмотреть здания постройки 16 века.

(Translated by Google) Okay, there are turtles and a former prison. About 60 minutes of viewing. A boat arrives from Stown Town. The price is $ 10-15 per person (depending on how you bargain). The person in the boat will buy a ticket with this money to see the turtles and this prison. The boat trip itself takes about 20 minutes. (Original) Ok, są żółwie i dawne więzienie. Jakieś 60 minut oglądania. Przypływa się łódka ze Stown Town. Cena za osobę to 10-15 dolarów (zależy jak wytargujesz). Osoba z łódki kupi już za te pieniądze bilet, żeby obejrzeć żółwie i to więzienie. Sama podróż łódka to koło 20 minut.

(Translated by Google) A place that can be quickly reached by water, in a boat. It's nice to talk to turtles, feed them, take pictures with them. (Original) Место до которого можно быстро добраться по воде ,в лодке.Приятно пообщаться с черепахами,покормить их,пофографироваться с ними.

super

The tortoise sanctuary is a mess and not maintained at all. Trash, dirt and loads of charter tourists. There's an entrance fee, yet the staff ask for more money. It used to be a lovely place with a beautiful path around the island and the tortoise roamed around freely. Not any more. Sad indeed.

(Translated by Google) Nice hike. The island is located 4-5 kilometers from Unguja and it takes 20-25 minutes to reach it from the pier (which is actually a beach) of Stone Town. Arriving on the beautiful beach of Changuu, you enter the island and discover the thick and varied vegetation (it almost seems to be in a botanical garden), in the center of the island there are numerous giant tortoises (an ancient gift from the Seychelles) that live actually a little crowded and where you can also meet numerous Dik-dik (small antelopes of East Africa). The ancient prison, now partially transformed into a resort, still retains old walls and ancient structures of the "prison for undisciplined slaves", the large tamarind tree inside is very beautiful. (Original) Bella escursione. L'isola è situata a 4-5 chilometri da Unguja e per raggiungerla ci vogliono 20-25 minuti dall'imbarcadero (che in realtà è una spiaggia) di Stone Town. Arrivati sulla bella spiaggia di Changuu ci si addentra nell'isola e si scopre la folta e varia vegetazione (sembra quasi di trovarsi in un giardino botanico), al centro dell'isola sono custodite le numerose tartarughe giganti (antico regalo delle Seychelles) che vivono per la verità un po' ammassate e dove si incontrano anche numerosi Dik-dik (piccole antilopi dell'Africa orientale). L'antica prigione, oggi parzialmente trasformata in resort, conserva ancora vecchi muri ed antiche strutture del "penitenziario degli schiavi indisciplinati", molto bello il grande albero di tamarindo al suo interno.

(Translated by Google) Super. (Original) Супер.

(Translated by Google) Beautiful there (Original) Красиво там

(Translated by Google) It's definitely worth skating once, especially with children. The turtles are super awesome! Apart from them, there is nothing to watch. The so-called "prison" is very small. Load into the boat from the water, shoes and clothes, respectively, so as not to get wet. Entrance to the island 4 $ (Original) Один раз однозначно стоит скататься, особенно с детьми. Черепахи суперские! Кроме них, смотреть нечего. Так называемая "тюрьма" очень маленькая. В лодку загружаться с воды, соответственно обувь и одежда, чтобы не намочить. Вход на остров 4$

Small island with hotel and small beach during low tide. There are some cliffs from which I wouldn't recommend jumping unless high tide but offer some nice photo spots. In addition there are tones of land turtles that you can feed with oldest one being 196 years old. Nice place to visit but not much to offer apart from that. You can ride here from the beach next to Stone Town.

Very beautiful island with an interesting history. You may visit the turtles and feed them. You may even donate in dollars or tanzanian shilling to help with the food expenses.

You get to see large turtles, the island is pretty, and the boat trip is nice if the weather is good. You'll spend a few nice hours. Is it worth it? It's OK to go snd OK to skip, depending on you preferences, alternatives, and travel budget. Definitely not a must-see.

Visited again after 5 years, as always best views of the sea and white sands, giant tortoises, and some peacocks to add beauty. Unfortunately, The beautiful wooden bridge is brocken and entry is restricted.

Changu Island or prison island is a nice tourist location. I hired a boat from stonetown that took me here with a great chap as a tour guide. Main attraction here are the Giant aldabra tortoise. Loads of them. They have numbers on their shells indicating their ages. The place looked well managed. You need to pay to go in, can't remember now what I paid but it wasn't a lot. I think the tour guide new the chaps there. You also see the prison rooms.

(Translated by Google) Cool place, though with turtles, like in a pigsty👍😀 (Original) Классное местечко , правда у черепах , как в свинарнике👍😀

Island itself is poorly maintained and the buildings lack information boards which would explain the history of the area. People are dependent on the local guide, who do not always speak decent English, resulting in many questions about the prison and the island being unanswered. It’s a total tourist trap and it’s definitely not worth a visit.

Very huge tortoises aged up to 197 years. A great time to feed them. Prison Island or Changuu Island is a great place to be far from the crowd.

This is a beautiful island with a not so beautiful history of being the stopping post of the slave trade for countries such as Britian, Portugal, and Spain to name a few. There are still remnants of that time including one of the rooms where hundreds of slaves were shackled and held. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable of the history of Tanzania and I learned much. And feeding the tortoise was a nice highlight.

This coral limestone island was uninhabited until 1860, when it was given to 2 Omani Arabs. They created a prison for disobedient slaves here and a small coral limestone mine. Then the island was bought, on behalf of the government of Zanzibar, by general Matthews who represented British protectorate authorities. He built a prison here but in the end it never served its purpose. Instead, it became a quarantine and treatment place for all people coming to the East African countries during the cholera epidemic. Now, tourists can admire here a beautiful and small beach, go to a bar in the prison ruins or to a restaurant which is in the general Matthews old house, and to visit the island indisputable stars - the tortoise sanctuary being a home of the Aldabra giant tortoises. It is the biggest species of tortoises on Earth. Coming here by a boat takes approximately 30 mins. The island in general is a must see but I rate it minus two stars because 1) would be great if tortoises conditions in the sanctuary were improved 2) would be great to better explain what exactly is where on the island and what is history of the objects. There were some information boards (a bit illegible) but without a guide / doing some reading it is not clear at all.

Aka prison Island, you will have a chance to meet old wise turtles, their age is written on their shield 🐢, plus there is a hidden spot cool for pictures 😉

Beautiful small island, look for starfish as you land on the beach, the tortoises, the history of the buildings, can get crowded, try to get there early. Only a short boat ride from Stone Town.

It's a quick boat ride and the island is fascinating in it's history. Has restaurants that one can eat at, incredible views. The Tortoises 🐢 are an immense population.

(Translated by Google) You can see it once (Original) Один раз посмотреть можно

(Translated by Google) A luxurious spot with land turtles (Original) Роскошное место с сухопутными черепахами

Loved it

The place is great, at there you get a chance to see some ancient tortoise with more than 100 years, beautiful peacock, swimming pool, beautiful natural environment and beautiful ocean scenery with clear water.

(Translated by Google) Very cool, turtles bomb, be sure to visit this place (Original) Очень классно, черепахи бомба, обязательно посетите это место

Must see.. ho got the history and amazingly huge tortoises

The Aldabra giant tortoises are great. The place itself needs a lot of renovation, there are many visitors every day.

(Translated by Google) Cool. Turtles are large. (Original) Круто. Черепахи большие.

Worth spending a while feeding the Aldabra tortoises and taking a stroll around the island.

Nice island with huge turtles. Long time ago it was prison for slaves, where they waited for new owner USA, Latin America, Europe...

Черепахи потрясающие!

Well worth a visit with a reputable guide

Place with history. Dont hesitate to meet turtles in age 100+ years.

Although the island itself is nothing special, the boat ride adventure is a great way to spend half a day. We went to the beach next to Marley's Bar and paid 40'000 for a private boat for a family of 4. Island entrance was another 10'000 per person(free until age 7)

Cristal clear water, best for swimming. Nature's creation

Changu or Prison island is a must visit place as u will find the giant and old tortoise. If u r staying in stone town ,just walk down to the beach and u will find many boats ready to take u to prison island. It is better if u club prison island with nakupenda beach. There are almost 200 tortoise at the island . Entrance fee is 10000 tsh per person and they will give u spinach to feed to the tortoise. As soon as u enter the gate the tortoise nearest to the gate will start coming towards to u to eat spinach. they are harmless and u can take many photos with them except from sitting on their back. there also i a 200 years old tortoise whose outer cover is disappearing due to age and it barely moves anywhere.u have a restaurant also here with nice seating under a big tamarind tree. u can find people catching sea shells and star fish near the island.

Is good place to see the Giant land Tortoise.

Changuu (Prison) Island is a fun little ~3 hour excursion from Stone Town. Trust, you're going to hear about trips to the island whilst randomly walking about town. The going rate for a single person seems to be $30; however, I booked directly through my hostel with another guest and it came to $17 each (cash, of course). The ride over is fun, especially as your captain will certainly regale you with tidbits of knowledge and trivia. Once you've arrived, you'll spend the majority of your time on the island with the giant tortoises, one of whom who is currently 194 years old! You'll get to feed them (I was told to be careful not to lose a finger) and pet & pose with them. There are also peacocks in the enclosure. After the tortoises, you'll walk about the derelict hotel, visit the bar, and then make your way to the beach. The beach itself is rather small, and almost certain to be packed; although, there is of course the chance that you'll hit it during a lull. The water is startlingly clear, and you'll definitely take more pictures than you thought. After the beach, your guide/captain will take you out to snorkel (assuming you requested that). Now, I don't much care for snorkeling myself, but the water around the island makes for what I told is some of the best to be had. We didn't see much of any large(r) fish, mostly just minnows. After you've had your fill, you'll be taken back to Stone Town and dropped right at the beach.

(Translated by Google) Small island, with a former local hospital and turtles (Original) Маленький островок, с бывшей местной больничкой и черепахами

(Translated by Google) beauty (Original) Красота

Turtles are an attraction like a petting ZOO, its not a sanctuary.

(Translated by Google) Nice, interesting, informative. I liked the tour to the turtles very much. (Original) Красиво,интересно, познавательно. Очень понравилась экскурсия к черепахам.

Beautiful experience

(Translated by Google) The turtles are steep, the water is clear, the hotel on the island itself does not work. If you take an excursion here from the scourge of fights, and not a tour operator, it will be 2-2.5 times cheaper. We borrowed from "bigfoots" (local comers) in the end it turned out 2 times cheaper than the operator offered, and the operator's lunch is not included in the price (only fruit and water), and in fact the tour is conducted by the same "local". In addition to water and fruit, local comers also include grilled seafood. And so take a look at the island of norms once. (Original) Черепахи крутые, вода чистейшая, отель на самом острове не работает. Если брать сюда экскурсию у бич боев, а не туроператора, получится в 2-2,5 раза дешевле. Мы брали у "бигфутов" (местные комерсы) в итоге вышло в 2 раза дешевле чем предлагал оператор, причём у оператора обед не включен в стоимость (только фрукты и вода), а по факту экскурсия проводится теми же "местными". У комерсов местных помимо воды и фруктов ещё включены морепродукты на гриле. А так поглазеть на разок остров норм.

(Translated by Google) There are many turtles, no service, you can go once (Original) Черепах много, сервиса никакого, один раз съездить можно

😍😍

Also called prison island beautiful historical place dates back from 19th c with 197 years old tortoise.

(Translated by Google) Turtles are super, ocean too !!! (Original) Черепахи супер , океан тоже !!!

(Translated by Google) Seychelles turtles walk freely, feed from at 10 am and in the evening. After feeding, the lazy will not eat anywhere from your hands. In the depths we saw a small deer, peacocks with a brood. On the island during the sultanate there was a prison for raging slaves, then an isolation ward for patients with malaria, now a hotel with a library (Original) Сейшельские черепахи ходят вольно, кормят из в 10 утра и вечером. После кормления ленивые, уде с рук ваших не будут есть. В глубине видели маленького оленёнка, павлинов с выводком. На острове во время султаната была тюрьма для разбушевавшихся рабов, затем изолятор для больных с малярией, теперь гостиница с библиотекой

awesome history of the tortoises, saw one with 196 years old

(Translated by Google) Superb! (Original) Superb!

(Translated by Google) The same island as Priston Island ... (Original) To sama wyspa co Priston Island...

Interesting

(Translated by Google) Apart from very large turtles there is nothing to see. The island and the prison building are nothing interesting. Just ruins. Turtles are interesting, only the smell of their vital activity and the excrement themselves are everywhere. (Original) Кроме очень больших черепах смотреть нечего. Остров и здание тюрьмы ничего интересного. Просто развалины. Черепахи интересные, только везде запах от их жизнедеятельности и сами экскрименты.

(Translated by Google) Cool big turtles worth seeing, especially the act of love :) (Original) Прикольные большие черепахи, стоит посмотреть, особенно акт любви :)